The Last of the Dragons-Set 1

51

10 Days Later

      I traveled to the kings home with half a dozen guards, and arrived ten days later, right when I was expected. We approached the seemingly impenetrable perimeter surrounding the massive fortress. We stopped in front of the Gate, guarded heavily by soldiers and dismounted our horses. 

"I'm expected by the king." I announced.

The soldiers looked around at each other nervously.

"Wh-Where are they?" One of them stuttered.

"Where's what?" I replied.

"The dragons." He said in a shaky voice.

I smirked.

"If I had my dragon with me, why would I be riding a horse? Stop blabbering and allow us through." I demanded. 

Without another word, the soldiers moved to the side and opened the gate, allowing the seven of us through. Just as we had the first time, we were led through a maze of hallways, until we came to the same door we had the first time. It opened, and once again we walked into a highly over sized room, with the king sitting upon his throne at the far end.

"Miss Albo. I have been expecting you. I'd like to thank you for not killing my messengers and accepting my request." He said in a cocky tone.

I stepped in front of my escorts, and made eye contact.

"I'll admit I was skeptical of your safe conduct promise given the recent confrontation." I said.

He snickered before standing and walking towards me.

"I'd like to offer you a second chance to come to your senses, and end this pointless stale mate between your meager, inferior force and my all powerful army."

"My king, with all due respect, if that was your intent from the beginning, then you are wasting your time." I relied.

His face went from cocky to angry in a heartbeat as he started towards me at a faster pace.

"Your army outnumbers mine hundreds to one, yet you were driven off in the blink of an eye. Thousands of your men dead, hundreds more injured."

I looked down for a moment, thinking of something to say that would sound believable.

"And, not to mention one of your dragons was taken down as well."

I snapped my head up, his face grew a nasty grin.

"You could barely kill one dragon. You are still facing two more, both stronger and more powerful than the one you killed." I said in a quivering voice.

"Don't be foolish. Dragons haven't existed in over one-hundred years, then, you manage to hatch three. The first, and last three dragons, and then you decide to throw them into a fight they cannot win, costing one of them their life. Don't allow the last two dragons two be killed as well. Don't send such a magnificent species to its grave once again." He said slyly. 

I looked back to me guards, all of which shook their heads. I looked back to the king as he walked back to the throne and sat down.

"Face it. Your dragon, its rider, and thousands of men are dead because of a pathetic fantasy you came up with. You have lost. You can never, and will never win. Soon, i'll have your other two dragons, the other rider, and your entire army impaled outside my window. And I will have you chained up to my walls, beaten and flogged for the rest of your days. If I was not a man of my word I'd have you now."

I didn't have anything to say at first. I just stood there, thinking of Veracons cries and the moment I laced Micha under his wing for the last time.

"You may kill every man, and every dragon that comes your way. You may torture every prisoner you take. But mark my words, your reign will end." I said in a much louder voice than I intended.

The king looked at me with a glare that sent shivers down my spine.

"You speak words of a delusional young woman. Not those of someone capable of leading an army to victory. You think because you could tame a dragon, that you are invincible. I would have thought seeing one of your dragons crippled by a measly arrow would have set your mind straight." He said.

"Oh, it set my mind straight. It confirmed that you and your army are heartless, cruel bastards who need to be brought to justice. You may have killed one dragon, but you have given the other two a reason to fight, to fight until those who threaten them until they no longer remain." I said.

A heavy silence fell over the room. For a moment I could swear that the hanging dragon skulls lining the room were calling to me. I felt hopeless, yet at the same time, I felt an odd, distant sense of meaning. I knew that if the king really did feel as though he were untouchable, he would not have brought me here to convince me to surrender and abandon the fight. I likely would have already been killed as well.

"My king, you and I both know that If you meant as you speak, you would have already cut me down and ended the so called pointless stale mate. You know that you're in trouble, and you know that you can't win. I will not discuss my surrender today, If anything, we should be discussing yours. But clearly that wont happen as you as far to arrogant and full of yourself to know any better. You have been warned. My king."

He looked at me with a puzzled and somewhat surprised look on his face. I said nothing more as I turned and followed a soldier back out side with my guards. We mounted our horses and started off back towards our armies resting place. I was unsure as to whether or not the things I had said would give me a mental edge over the king, simply be my downfall. We rode for hours until the sun finally started to dip behind the mountains in the distance. We stopped for the night in the forest to sleep. I didn't get much sleep that night, the cries of the dragon still filling my ears clear as day.

"Goodnight Micha." I said.